Window



March 3, 1953 w. P. KEssLER ETAL WINDOW 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Filed Dec. 29. 1951 March 3, 1953 w. P. Kl-:ssLER ETAL WINDOW 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Deo. 29, 1951 0 y@ u L .W x 7 w @5 @HW mf f 5M a@ MMM @Mw/g vrthoseforY high buildings, thevvashing ofJ the outer 'to have Windows -vvhichy couldberevers'ed sothat `both sides of theglass in the @sash `oould be 'Washed from inside the building. :Howeverfvery frain, air, dirtand otherforeign matter.

Patented Mar. 3, v1953 UNITED STATES oF-F ICE 2,629,995 WINDOW WadRKessler; Bristo 1, anu Andrew" trg-vingert Elkhart, Ind.,fas`signors Ito' *The A'dlke Com- ;pany,..Elkhart,.Ind., a. corporation -of'lllinois Application December 29, v'1951,.Seril N 0.',2645,1-32

159Glaims.

'The purpose of the Vpresent' invention is"to"pro vide a 'window of new" and improvedconstruction which while capable of` many application's'is particularly Well suited for`airconditioned'buildings, where the sash is maintained closed atwall times except when beingk cleanedandl Where it 'must be absolutely Weatheretight and" secure'A in its closed position.

`In Windows `for buildings, and "particularly sides of the glass inthe sash has always been'a problem. The risks to thevvindovvwashers'are considerable, the jpay rates 'are correspondingly' YYhigh, much additional time's"required-incon- :necting and disconnecting lthe 'necessary -har- "nesses, and the insurance which the *building owners are usually required-to carryonfthe-men amounts to a substantial item.

*For these reasons' it has always vbeen desirable few if any-windows'offthe' reversibletypefare found in buildings, apparentlydueto the-"probagainst tampering.

One of the objects of the invention, generally stated, is to provide fawvindow'ofthereversible Asash type fin Vwhich the sash-'isfpneumatically locked and sealed in its closed position by-a-novel tamper-proof connection between thesa'shiand the frame. H

Another object: is vto 'providea Windovv-h of the ktype described in which the sash maybe-"easily opened and closed, and in'vvhichlthe pneumatically actuated locking and' sealing means may be readily disengaged from the sash'-for repair fior replacement should occasionrequire.

The window of the present-invention when closed is both effectively lockedl againstfopening and eiectively sealed-fagainst'the entrance ff can be easily released, reversed, Washed' in 'its 'reversed position, returned to its original -fposition, and again locked andsealed. The'new Win` V'dovv is of simple inexpensiveconstruction,"'releases and locks easily, and can be opened and .50

Yet it 2U n'of' the" inventiowandthe scope "of" the appended claims.v

In"theaccompanying'drawings,

, z'Fig. 1iis.aiperspectiveview Aof the improved 'Windowfshowing the. sash swung into an open I5 or'half reversed position;

:liigiz`V is*"afront"view *ofi the Window,` showing *theisashi'close v "z Fig. `i3yis "a fragmentarygperspective View yof vthe jpneumatic tube employed 'between the "outer =-20 iperiphery 'of'k the sashan'd the inner periphery of "theifrarne'foriboth lockingand sealing' the sash with :respect toithe framein the lclosed position o'f'the'sasm 'Figs-tifa "vertical" transverseA section through A'-25 'the' bottomoft'he window vat the location of'- the :pivotal "connection 4between the sash and the :'frametaken on the line `4-"4 'of'Fig 2;

' '-`Fig. 5'is"a*ho'riz`onta1l transverselsection through "one ofthe' lsidesofthe window, taken on the line Figi 'Giis l"a" view similar to Fig. i5, showing the pneumatic tube deated preparatory to vopening "the sash;

` .Fig."' 7 1Vis a fragmentary vertical longitudinal .35 sectionthroughithe' bottom of 'the Windowat the location of; the lower'pivot, taken on the lineI-Sl "ofFigil: and

N Figsis a-perspe'ctive view of one of'the rubberlclosurefblockswvhich conformwith short sec- .i 40 A'tionsof the7 pneumatic tube -at the locations of y:the pivots to seal I the `sash and frame atthose f-points.

vflfis Wllfbef observed in the?dravvings,`-the --vvinfdow' includes `aneou'ter stationary frame Hl of 5fgenerally lrectangular form, with r'preferably :rounded fz'corners, Iwh-i'ch frame is f adapted to be *anchoredfand'sealed'finany :suitable manner in an opening in the Wal1 of the building. The 4`frame I'surroun'ds and lts `closely aboutalglazed :fsas'h l lv rofl thelsalne "general rounded 4corner' form. '.Therail-'mernbersll2fofthefframel0 and the rail members "'13 'of 'the sash Il l Lare both preferably 'cf'mstruc-ted 'of lextrud'ed aluminum but "either or "fboth "mayfibe constructed'V of any "other suitable The sash II is pivotally connected, preferably midway between its sides, to the frame IIJ, the pivotal connection being effected by aligned top and bottom pivot pins I4 and I5. The sash II is provided about its outer periphery with a continuous partially closed channel I6, preferably of shallow C-shaped cross section, in which an inflatable rubber tube I1 is partially housed, the tube I1 being more or less completely housed in the channel I6 in the non-inflated condition of the tube (see Fig. 6).

sash II preferably intersects the pivotal connections between the sash and frame provided by the pins I4 and I5, and is provided along itsl sides with inturned tube-retaining flanges I8 (see Figs. and 6). At the locations of the pins I4 and I5 and for a short distance to either side thereof the flanges I8 are interrupted by being cut away, from I9 to 20 (see Fig. 7), leaving rectangular` openings 2| in the outer periphery of the sash II through which short sections of the tube I1 are exposed for the full width of the latter (see Fig. 4).

Directly opposite the center of the channel I6 the confronting periphery 22 of the frame I0 is provided with a continuous groove 23 of narrow shallow cross section. into which a portion of the tube I1 is adapted to project when the tube is inflated to effect the desired interlock and seal (see Fig. 5).

At the locations of the pivot pins I4 and I5, and for a short distance to either side thereof (corresponding generally to the length of the rectangular openings 2| in the outer periphery of the sash) the groove 23 in the frame I0 is interrupted by the introduction of rectangular metal plates 24 to which the pins I4 and I5 are secured. The plates 24 are secured against the inner surface of the inner periphery 22 of the frame I0 by screws 25 and are provided with flat rectangular raised portions 26 which project inwardly through rectangular openings 21 provided in the inner periphery of the frame, the raised portions 26 extending into positions substantially flush with the inner periphery of the frame. The raised portions 26 of the plates 24 are preferably provided with short groove formations 28 in registration with the interrupted ends of the groove 23, which groove formations merge gradually into the planes of the raised portions 23.

The inflatable tube I1, which may be made of natural or synthetic rubber or of any other suitable material, tends to assume the partially collapsed position shown in Fig. 3 when not inflated. The tube, which is preferably stretched lengthwise slightly in its uninflated position in the channel I6 and in consequence nests snugly against the bottom of the same, is adapted to be inflated with air or other suitable gas through a valve 29, preferably of the type commonly used with the inner tubes of automobile tires. The valve 29 is located at one point in the tube and is rendered accessible from the inside of the window through a small inconspicuous aperture in the inside face of one of the rail members I3 of the sash.

The tube I1 is provided with a relatively narrow solid bead-like portion 30 of considerably greater thickness than the side and rear walls of the tube. which bead-like portion extends continuously lengthwise of the tube section except at the locations of the pivot pins I4 and I5. At those locations the bead-like portion 30 of the 4 tube is abruptly interrupted (see Fig. 3) for a distance corresponding to the length of the rectangular openings 2| in the outer periphery of the sash II, thereby leaving plain tube sections which are exposed through such openings.

It will be observed in Fig. 5 that the solid beadlike portion 30, which provides a positive but resiliently conformable key-like connection between the sash and the frame, is of somewhat greater thickness than both the clearance space present between the sash and frame and the depth of the groove 23 in the frame, with the result that any force acting against the sash to swing the same open will not tend to pinch olf and possibly puncture any of the hollow portion of the tube but will merely subject the solid and therefore invulnerable portion to shearing stress.

It will be observed that the outer periphery of the sash and the inner periphery of the frame at opposite sides of the sealing means are spaced only far enough apart to afford sufcient swinging clearance and that they extend more or less parallel to each other in closely confronting relation for a substantial distance away from the sealing means, with the result that the sealing means. and particularly the inflated portion thereof, is effectively protected against being punctured by the insertion in such slip-like clearance space of any sort of sharp pointed instrument.

Midway and centrally of such plain tube sections the front and rear Walls 3| and 32 of the tube I1 are secured solidly together by metal grommets 33, which grommets are so disposed as to leave air passages 34 in the tube along the sides thereof at opposite sides of the grommets (see Figs. 3 and 4).

-The pivot pins I4 and I5 project from the plates 24 through the holes in the grommets 33, and also through bearing washers 35 positioned between the plates and the grommets, and are journalled at their ends in bearing apertures 36 in plates 31 set into the sash (see Figs. 4 and 7). The plates 31 are secured by screws 38 to the sash behind the base of the channel I6 and the journaling portions thereof project into the channel I6 at the center of the rectangular opening 2 I, terminating just short of the outer periphery of the sash.

At the locations of the pivot pins I4 and I5 solid rubber closure blocks 39 are interposed between the plain sections of the tube I1 and the raised portions 26 of the plates 24 from which the pins project (see Figs. 4 and '7). The blocks 39 are generally flat and rectangular in shape and flt closely within the rectangular openings 2| in the outer periphery of the sash, in positions in which they protrude slightly with respect to the outer periphery of the sash. The blocks 39 (see Fig. 8) are provided with holes 40 for the reception of the pins, are preferably relatively thin from end to end in line with the holes 40. are preferably relatively thick from end to end along their sides, and are preferably provided at the ends of their thin center zones with shallow recesses 4I to better conform with the plain outer wall sections of the tube I1 between the ends of Athe interruptions in the bead-like portion 30 of the tube.

A simple mechanical lock 42 of any suitable construction is preferably provided at a convenient location on the frame I0 or sash II for positively locking such members together after they have been closed. to insure against accidental iopening in `:the event ithelwtube 'l 1 *should''for any reason become l.unintentionally ndeflated.

'Fromthe foregoing it' will be understoodfthat tofope'n the sash l-I lwandfreverse-the fsame for Awashing it .is `merely necessaryito relieve vthe pressure of the-air i inl the tube l-l by trippinglthe valve 2.9, 1 whereupon the tube I 'l -will fcolla'pselto fa' point where v the `v`solidfi'loeadilike portio'n 'A30 of the tube -isiclearoffthe groove 23in"the'frame I0, leaving the sash free'to be .fswungfopen uTo 'thereafter vreturnithetsashto itsflockedl andzsealed condition the sash isfswunglbackiinto itsifclosed position-and the tube -l'lris inflated by the application of a source Yof compressed air to the valve Y29, the source preferably being either a small readily handled cylinder of compressed air, or a small hand pump-*either ofwhich can be easily: carried about bythe washer.

When the tube I1 is thus inatedin the Aclosed position of the sash the solid bead-like portion 30 of the tubewillbeprojectedacrossthe joint between .the sash and the frame into the groove 23, the projection being uniform,throughout the entire length of the groove andl at all sides oflthe sash, in which projected positionthe portion 30 will not only afford a continuous weather-.tight connection between the sash and the frame but will provide in effect a continuous solid locking key across the joint capable of withstanding in shear stress any= andy all forces'tending to swing the sashin either direction. At the locations of thepi-votpins YHl and I5, where-the :bead-like portions 3S on the tube l1 are temporarily interrupted, the inflated side air passages 34 in the plain sections of the tube l1 will press the sides of the tube snugly against the closure blocks 39 and the latter will in turn press snugly against the mounting plates 24 for the pins, producing bridging weather-tight connections at those locations.

The sides of the solid portion 30 of the tube H are both preferably disposed in the inflated condition of the tube at more than the critical angle of friction with respect to the direction of swing of the sash and the retaining edges of the inturned flanges i8 between which the tube is held, with the result that a frictional interlock is affected transversely of the sash between the latter and the projecting portion of the tube, which interlock will be maintained with but a comparatively small amount of pressure in the tube. In other words, the transverse locking effect of the projecting portion of the tube I1 is not dependent upon the maintenance of any particular degree of pressure in the tube-only enough pressure being required to inate the tube to a point where the projecting portion thereof will be pressed into snugly sealed conformity with the groove 23 in the frame.

While the sash il is shown as pivoted on a vertical axis midway between its sides it will of course be appreciated that it might instead be pivoted nearer one side than the other, also that it might be pivoted on a horizontal rather than a vertical axis.

We claim:

l. In a window of the character described, a sash, a frame surrounding the sash, a pivotal connection between the sash and frame for permitting the sash to be swung from a position in the plane of the frame into an angular position relative thereto, a channel about the outer periphery of the sash opening toward the inner periphery of the frame, said channel being provided at the outer periphery of the sash with narrowly spaced #apart'inturnedangesfargroove in thelinner pe- "riphery'of `the frame oppositethe channel, `and -aninflatablesrubber -tube housed infthe channel thereof, Ywhich-solid kportion upon inflation-lof theltubeis adaptedftov be partially projected from the channell betweenthe-inturnediiange into the ,s groove z to v'form a -solid lockingiand sealing --key between; the' sash-and'frame.

@Ima-:windowof the character described-"a sash,a"frame surrounding the sash, a pivotal con- 4nectionbetweenthe-sashand frame for permitting thev sash to be swung from a position in the planeofl-the frame 'into an angular position relative-thereto, a channel about the outer periphery of lthe'sash opening towardfthe inner periphery of the frame, a` groove in the inner` periphery of the framefopposite the channel, andaniendless 'inatable rubber tube housed inthe channel, which-tube upon being inated is adapted to projectfrom the v`channel into the groove'to `form asealbetween the sash and frame about all sides ofi-the latterfsaid pivotal connection betweenthe lsashtand frame consisting of aligned pivotf pins, ywhich pinsA are arranged in the median plane of theltube in intersecting relation to the latter, andl'said` tube at the location of'the pins `being .apertured for the passage'of the pins andsealed of? about' the 'edges -of fsuch apertures* to leave inlflatableside-portions inthe tube at opposites'ides of the apertures, which side portions when the tube is inflated are adapted to seal against the frame about said pivotal connections.

3. In a window of the character described, a sash, a frame surrounding the sash, a pivotal connection between the sash and frame for permitting the sash to be swung from a position in the plane of the frame into an angular position relative thereto, a channel about the outer periphery of the sash cpening toward the inner periphery of the frame, a groove in the inner periphery of the frame opposite the channel, said channel being of C-shaped cross section and being provided along its margins with narrowly spaced apart inturned flanges, and a substantially at but inflatable rubber tube housed in the channel with the sides of the tube retained in the channel by said iianges, which tube upon being inflated is adapted to project at its center portion only from the channel between the anges into the groove to form a seal between the sash and frame.

4. In a window of the character described, a rectangular sash having rounded corners, a frame of the same shape surrounding the sash, a pivotal connection between the center of the sash and the center of the frame for permitting the sash to be reversed in position in the frame, a channel about the outer periphery of the sash in the plane of said pivotal connection, which channel opens toward the inner periphery of the frame, a groove in the inner periphery of the frame opposite the channel, an endless inflatable rubber tube housed in the channel, which tube upon being inflated is adapted to project from the channel into the groove to form a seal between the sash and frame about all sides of the same, said pivotal connection between the sash and frame consisting of aligned pivot pins, which pins are arranged in the median plane of the tube in intersecting relation to the latter, said tube at the location of the pins being apertured for the passage of the pins and sealed off about the edges of such apertures to leave inflatable side portions in the tube at opposite sides of the apertures, and apertured rubber closure blocks tted over the pins against the inner periphery of the frame in confronting relation to said inflatable side portions, said inflatable side portions being adapted to bear against and conform to said blocks when the tube is inilated, whereby to provide a seal at the locations of the pins.

5. In a' window of the character described, a glazed metal sash of generally rectangular form provided with straight side sections and rounded corner sections, a stationary metal frame of the same shape surrounding the sash, pivotal connections at opposite sides of the sash between the sash and the frame for pivotally mounting the sash in the frame and permitting the sash to be swung open about said connections from a position in the plane of the frame into an angular position relative thereto, a substantially continuous outwardly opening channel about the outer periphery of the sash in both the straight and rounded sections of the latter, which channel opens toward the inner periphery of the frame and is materially reduced in width adjacent the outer edge of the sash by inturned anges on said edge which confront each other in spaced relation and form therebetween a relative narrow slot in communication with said channel, a groove about the inner periphery of the frame, which groove is of substantially less width than the frame and is of approximately the same width WARD P. KESSLER. ANDREW T. HAGERTY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 494.351 Thomas Mar. 28, 1893 583,375 Hood May 25, 1897 2,001,863 Bedaux May 21, 1935 2,088,909 Jaubert Aug. 3, 1937 2,306,990 Essl Dec. 29, 1942 2,551,750 Liskey May 8, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 561,250 Germany Oct. 12, 1932 

